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Atos and Capita to be sacked in Scotland

Atos and Capita will lose their contracts for carrying out PIP and DLA assessments in Scotland when Social Security Scotland (SSS) takes over the administration of these benefits.

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People in the Scottish government, announced that there will be no private sector involvement in disability benefits assessments.

Instead, all assessments will be carried out in-house by SSS. In addition, Somerville announced that:

“People will be invited at a time that suits them and to a location that suits them.

“For those with difficulty travelling, the assessor will come to them.

“In addition we will introduce audio recordings of assessments as standard to ensure accuracy and transparency.

“And we will also allow the social security appeals tribunal to access the audio recording to help inform their decision.”

Comments

If this happened, as of course the 'house' in question would be none other than the DWP itself, then it's highly unlikely there would be any improvement whatsoever even though Atos etc would no longer be involved!

That's very true, and remembering my first DLA assessment back in 1999 that as full of lies and inaccuracies, only back then I didn't have the benefit of the online community to know it wasn't just me they'd singled out and made to look fraud :(

I'm sure it will be an improvement especially audio recording assessments and making it easier for claimants to get to an assessment venue or have it at home. I wonder however WHO will actually do these assessments under the new arrangement? In other parts of the UK when a contractor loses a contract eg when Atos lost the ESA contract many of the nurses etc who did the assessments for Atos simply moved to Maximus! As I say it's still an improvement re Scotland but I would expect many of the Atos/Capita etc staff, some of whom produced shoddy reports, to transfer to SSS. It will be very important for SSS to ensure that the assessments are also done correctly. It has been suggested that the DWP may eventually end contracting out assessments in other parts of the UK and bring them back in-house. If this happened, as of course the 'house' in question would be none other than the DWP itself, then it's highly unlikely there would be any improvement whatsoever even though Atos etc would no longer be involved!